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Bali’s black sand mining
04 Aug 2015 — The Indonesian island of Bali, with its beautiful beaches and natural lakes formed by volcanos, has long been a tourist's paradise. But the huge number of tourists to the island is a double-edged sword. To cater for the rapid growth of the tourism industry, there is a high demand for basic construction material as more shops and hotels are built. This also means more mining activities are carried out to extract black sand, threatening the environment and the lives of villagers. The Malaysian Insider photographer, Hasnoor Hussain, travels to Bali to find out its impact near the Mt Batur Geopark, part of the Unesco Global Geopark Network.
Dust from nearby black sand mining activities cover leaves at the Mt Batur Geopark in Bali. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A quarry to mine black sand, against the backdrop of Lake Batur and Mount Abang. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
Workers load black sand on to a lorry. The raw material is much needed as Bali's tourism industry booms, leading to construction of hotels and shopping complexes. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A quarry worker at one of the many mining spots for black sand, at the Mt Batur Geopark. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A mining worker takes off her shoes to rest after the day's work. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
Sand mining workers shower in the open at a public spring at the nearby Songan village. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A family seen outside their house in Songan village, located at the tip of Lake Batur. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
Dogs make a pile of black sand their resting place, in Songan village neighbouring Mt Batur Geopark. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A villager uses a pump to water his crops at Songan village, which has fertile land thanks to the effects of volcanoes. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A bee perches on a flower along a road covered with black sand, at the Mt Batur Geopark, Bali. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A Songan villager poses in her kitchen. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A woman seen through a window covered with dust from black sand, the effect of mining activities in nearby Lake Batur. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A Balinese woman balances her goods on her head as she walks on a street at Songan village on a misty, and dusty, morning. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
A man works on his farm at the Songan village, which has fertile land thanks to the effects of neighbouring volcanoes. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
An early morning view of Mount Batur, an active volcano which forms part of Bali's Mt Batur Geopark, a Unesco site. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, August 5, 2015.
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